FDA collects liquor samples to check for adulteration

In its bid to curb distribution and consumption of spurious liquor, adulterated with methyl alcohol that is hazardous to health, officials of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) department yesterdaycollected liquor samples from various bars in the city before New Year’s Eve celebration.

seized: The consignment of spurious liquor confiscated by officials of the excise department during a raid in November. File pic

FDA Joint Commissioner (Food) Suresh Deshmukh said, “Since alcohol has now been classified as food, we followed the orders and collected liquor samples from various permit rooms. These samples will now be subjected to quality tests to ensure that the liquor meets FDA standards. We are checking for the presence of methyl alcohol.”

Deshmukh said FDA officials collected samples from over 10 bars in the city and the process would be on till the wee hours of New Year’s. “Liquor will flow and we have to ensure that the quality is genuine and it is free of solvents that are injurious to health. During such big events, chances of adulteration are high so we decided to collect samples from today itself,” Deshmukh said.

Apart from collecting samples from permit rooms, FDA officials also collected samples of country-made and Indian-made foreign liquor. Ever since the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) Act was enforced, the liquor lobby has been worried over FDA’s role, as the industry is already under the scanner of the excise department.

Deshmukh said, “We have sent letters to all the associations asking them to seek FDA licence, as we will now look after the quality part of the liquor while the rest will be dealt with by the excise.”